Florida Panthers winger Brad Marchand speaks to media before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final against the Oilers in Edmonton on Tuesday, June 3, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson

EDMONTON — Brad Marchand found himself in uncharted territory.

The Boston Bruins captain was churning towards unrestricted free agency on a team that was falling well short of expectations.

The stress was getting to him.

"Situations I really hadn't been in before … I wouldn't say I dealt with them great," Marchand said Tuesday. "The business side of it, I let it frustrate me."

The veteran winger from Halifax couldn't agree on a new contract with the Bruins — the only NHL franchise he had ever known — and was eventually traded to the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers as the Atlantic Division powerhouse loaded up for another title run.

The fit has been perfect.

Marchand, who won the Cup with Boston in 2011 and made the final in both 2013 and 2019, is back in the NHL's title series sporting new colours.

The player, however, remains largely the same.

Schooled in hockey's dark arts, Marchand has eased up on the antics as he's matured, but the 37-year-old remains an antagonizing force for a group that will face the Edmonton Oilers for a second straight June — Game 1 goes Wednesday at Rogers Place — after the Panthers won in seven hard-found games some 11 1/2 months ago.

"I learned about him that he's a good guy," Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, who defeated Marchand's Bruins in both the 2023 and 2024 playoffs, said with a smile during his NHL media day availability. "Playing against him … you'd rather have him on your side than playing against him. He's brought a lot of experience to our team."

Florida winger Matthew Tkachuk said Marchand's entry into the locker room couldn't have been scripted any better.

"He's the perfect Panther," Tkachuk said. "He's built for our team … he was so hard to play against. We've played a bunch before, but I still don't think you get to see his skill set.

"Such a hard worker and an unbelievable teammate."

Florida centre Sam Bennett had run-ins with Marchand on opposite sides in the playoffs, including when he delivered a sneaky punch to his now-teammate in the Panthers' second-round victory last season.

The pair suited up for Canada at the 4 Nations Face-Off tournament in February before becoming NHL teammates a few weeks later.

"The one thing that really stands out is just his natural leadership," Bennett said. "Right from Day 1, guys looked up to him. He's great around the room. He brings the energy. He keeps things light … make everyone feel a little bit more comfortable.

"Especially in the high-pressure situations."

Marchand, however, readily admits he didn't handle the pressures of his Boston exit as well as he would have liked.

That page now turned, he's focused on securing his second Cup in a completely new environment.

"There were different hurdles that continued to get frustrating and stressful throughout the year, but that's part of the game," Marchand said. "You've got to find ways to deal with it. I wish I had done a better job at times.

"Something I can learn from."

STICKING AROUND

Oilers forward Corey Perry said he plans to be back in the NHL for a 21st season in 2025-26.

"It's just not in me to think about it," the 40-year-old said when asked if he's ever contemplated retirement. "I love playing. I love being around the room. I don't think that's going to come into my head any time soon.

"The plan is to be back."

ONE GOAL IN MIND

Poised to become one of the big names on the unrestricted free agent market if he doesn't re-up with Florida before July 1, Bennett said his future beyond this season has taken a back seat.

"Haven't really thought too much about anything other than the playoffs and getting here," he said. "Now the whole focus is on winning the Stanley Cup. Everything else is going to be in the background for the next couple weeks."

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 3, 2025.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2025